Like beating up children

By Lawrence Bailey

After a big kid kicks your ass, it always feels good to take it out on someone smaller than you, doesn’t it big man?


Fresh off a pair of humbling defeats to the University of Alberta Golden Bears to open the 2004 calendar year, the Dinos men’s hockey team was blessed with a date with the ugly stepsister of Canada West, the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. Despite a pair of victories in Lethbridge the previous weekend, everyone in attendance at the Father David Bauer Arena Jan. 9-10 knew the Dinos should handle the T-Birds with ease.


Thankfully, they did just that.


Despite the 7-4 score line in the Dinos’ favour, Friday’s tilt was closer than it seemed. Neither Dinos’ netminder Aaron Baker nor UBC’s Robert Filc (the reigning Canada West player of the week) started the game too strong. While Baker settled in between the pipes and played well, Filc settled in on the bench after surrendering six goals through the first 40 minutes. His replacement and former Vancouver Canuck–well, at least for a game– Chris Levesque played admirably in relief, turning away all nine shots he faced, with the Dinos’ lone third period tally being a late Ken McKay empty netter.


After a crazy game Friday night, with a disallowed goal that should have probably been allowed and a goal that counted despite the fact it may not have actually gone in, Saturday was more in line with the pre-weekend expectations.


McKay and Colin McRae paced the hockeysaurs offensively with a pair of goals apiece, as the hometown Dinos pummeled the T-Birds 4-1, outshooting them 39-15 in the process. Filc was chased for the second night in a row while Dinos’ netminder Donald Choukalos came within 1:27 of the shutout.


The Dinos’ leading scorer Sean Robertson had an outstanding weekend, notching a goal and four assists, moving him into fourth in Canada West scoring with 23 points in 18 games.


Up next for the ninth-ranked Dinos are the hapless 4-11-3 University of Regina Cougars Jan. 16-17. A pair of wins in Regina would go a long way to helping the Dinos in their battle for the second seed in Canada West behind the powerhouse Golden Bears.

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